Hinge



M. TUCKER Dec. 2, 1941.

HINGE Filed Jan. 11, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jnveutor Morton uclie r attorney Dec. 2, 1941. v M; K R 2,265,049 HINGE I Filed Jan. 11', 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 V Mg. 6. HG. Z

ZSnventor Morton uc/i'er Cmorneg Patented Dec. 2, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT orricr.

HINGE Morton Tucker, Haddonfield, N. J., assignor of one-half to Morris A. Rabkin, Camden, N. J., and one-half to Gladys Tucker, Magnolia, N. J.

Application January 11, 1938, Serial No. 184,356

3 Claims.

This invention relates to hinges, and more particularly to hinges of the concealed type, the present invention being particularly suitable for use in mounting doors on automobile bodies or the like.

Various attempts have been made in the past to provide concealed hinges, and some have even been designed specifically for mounting doors on automobile bodies. So far as I am aware, these have all been of the type embodying a pintle mounting for the movable element of the hinge. This type of binge has a number of disadvan tages, chief among which are that they do not stand up Well under long and continued use and that, after a period of use, they invariably permit the door to sag, whereupon it fails to fit properly in the door frame. This is particularly true of automobile doors which are made of steel or other metal throughout and which are quite heavy.

The primary object of my invention is to provide an improved hinge of the concealed type which is free from the foregoing and other disadvantages characteristic of such hinges of the prior art.

More specifically, it is an object of my present invention to provide an improved hinge of the type set forth which will stand up under long and continued use and which will at all times maintain the door properly fitted in its frame.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved hinge as aforesaid which will read-, ily permit facile adjustment of the door with respect to its frame so that a proper fit of the two may be easily obtained.

Still another object of my invention is to provide an improved hinge as above described which can be attached in place easily and to which the door can easily be secured, or from which it can just as easily be removed.

A further object of my invention is to provide an improved hinge of the concealed type which is equally suitable for doors mounted to swing to the right as for doors mounted to swing to the left.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved hinge of the concealed type which will eifectively check the swinging of the door when it is swung open violently. I

Still a further object of my invention is to provide an improved hinge of the type set forth which will not permit the door to rattle in closed position.

It is also an object of my invention to provide an improved hinge as aforesaid which is simple,

.yet durable, in construction, which is highly emcient in use, which readily lends itself to the requirements of economical quantity manufacture, and which is inexpensive in cost.

In accordance with my invention, I form the stationary element of the hinge with a well or depression which terminates in a substantially spherical socket or bearing, and form the movable element with a ball which is received within the bearing, thereby entirely eliminating the conventional pintle mounting for the movable element. The stationary element of the hinge is concealed within the door frame and the movable element is secured to the door and is arranged to be received Within the aforementioned well or recess when the door is in closed position. Where it is found desirable, the stationary element of the hinge may be provided witha spring pressed plunger or the like which is arranged to be engaged by an extension of the movable element for checking the outward movement of the movable element. This effectively checks the sudden and violent opening of the door.

The novel features. that I consider characteristic of my invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood from the following description of several embodiments thereof, when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a view showing the manner in which a door is mounted on the body by means of a pair of hinges according to my invention,

Figure 2 is a perspective View of one form of hinge in accordance with my invention,

Figure 3 is a top plan view thereof,

Figure 4 is a sectional view thereof taken along the line IV-IV of Figure 3,

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a retaining bushing employed with this form of my invention,

Figure 6 is a central, sectional view of another form of my invention, the movable element of the hinge being shown in fully open position,

Figure '7 is a view similar to Figure 6 but with the movable element in closed position,

Figure 8 is a bottom plan view of this form of my invention,

Figure 9 is a central sectional view of the stationary element or bracket member of this form of my invention, 7

terminates at one end in a partially spherical ball socket 5. The entire structure is an inte ral unit and the offset portion .3 may be formed :by

drawing the material between suitable dies, by stamping, by forming the bracket out of a solid piece of material, or in any other suitable manner. In any event, the offset portion 3 provides an elongated well or recess I in which is received an 1L-shaped member 9 having a ball I] formed integrally thereon at the end of one of the arms of the L, the ball -I=I being mounted in the socket 5 which acts as :a bearing therefor. To retain the swinga'ble member -9 ,in cooperative relation with the bracket I a retaining bushing ,I3 having a spherical seat I5 thereon is forced down into the recess {I over the ball -I I, as clearly shown in Fig.4. The bushing I3 is cut away at II a width somewhat greater than the diameter of the memher so that the member 9 may be freely swung from the closed, or solid line position shown in Fig. 4, .to the open, or dotted line position thereof. Also, gthe well or recess I is of a greater width in a transverse direction than the diameter of on the hinge member 9, so that the member .9 may be moved somewhat in said transverse direction for .a purpose presently to be set forth.

Referring, now, .to Fig. 1, the manner .of using myimproved hinge will be described. The bracket member .1 is provided with ,a number of openings L9 through which the screws 21 may be passed for securing a pair .of associated bracket members ,I to the .door frame 2,3.of an automobile body or the like, the offset portions .3 being received within recesses 25 in the frame 23 and the plate of the bracket member I in which the openings I9 are formed being flush with the door frame. The bracket members I are thus held stationary on the door frame .23. The swingable members 9 are threaded at their free ends which are extended through suitable openings in the door 2.1

which is intended to fit into the door frame, a

pair of cooperating nuts 29 and lock washers 3|, when tightened up, serving to hold the door firmly in place. nuts 29 are first tightened rather loosely and the door is fitted to the frame, after which the nuts may be firmly tightened. Transverse movement of the swingable members ,9 in the recess "I, as heretofore described, readily permits adjustment of the door and hinges so that the door Will accurately fit the frame and, once the nuts 29 have been firmly tightened, the door can not sag, for the reason that the swinging movement of the two hinges takes place within the aligned, but separated, sockets 5. It will be apparent, therefore, that, by the use of hinges according to my invention, the door may not only be easily and accurately fitted to its frame, but once having been so fitted, it will thereafter always remain in proper fitting relation therewith, and will be held firmly against rattling.

In Figs. .6 to 9, there is show-n a modification of my improved hinge which is efiective to check When mounting the door, the

sudden or violent opening of the door. The bracket member I is generally of the same construction as that previously described, except that the offset portion 3 is made considerably deeper and is formed with a pair of aligned openings 33 through which a rod or the like extends. A collar 31 is fixed to the rod 35 within the recess I to limit the movement thereof through the openings 33 in the direction of the ball socket 5, a coil spring 39 constantly urging the rod 35 in this direction and to the position shown in Fig. 7.

'The ball socket 5 is provided with a slot II in which is received an extension 43 on the ball I I, and as the swingable member 9 of the hinge moves in the direction of the arrows shown in Figs. 6 .and -'7 from open to closed position, and vice versa, the extension 43 moves in the slot III. In its full outward position, as shown in Fig. I, the rod or plunger 35 extends into the path of movement of the extension 43. Hence, as the swingable member 9 moves from the closed position of Fig. '7 in the direction of the appended arrow to the .open position .of Fig. 6, the extension .43 engages the extended end .of the rod .35

- when the member 9 has been only partially opened and forces the rod .35 downwardly against the action of the spring 39. The reaction of the springs therefore cushions or checks the further .outward movement of the members 9 and the door supported thereby to prevent violent opening of the door, as under the influence .of a high wind, thereby preventing possible damage to the hinges and to the door and its frame.

In the modification of Figs. 2 to 4, the retaining bushing I3 is preferably force fit into the recess I to retain the movable member 9 and the stationarybracket .I in cooperative relation. In the modification shown in Figs. 6 to 9, I prefer to provide additional means for holding the retaining bushing I3 in place. Accordingly, I provide a pair of ears or lugs 45 on the offset portion 3 which may be bent around the bushing 13 and fitted into slots .41 thereof. This further ensures a proper bearing seat for the ball I] at all times, regardless of the condtions under which my improved hinge is used.

Although I have shown and described two .em bodi-ments .of my invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many other modifications thereof, as well as changes in those described, are possible. For example, in place of the retaining bushing I3, the ball -I I may be held in place in the socket .5 by forcing the material of the offset portion 3 around the ball II, as shown at 49 in Fig. 12, after the ball ,I] has been seated in the socket .5. Thus, the entire stationary bracket member I is formed of one integral piece. Many other changes will, no doubt, readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art. I therefore desire that my invention shall not be limited except insofar as is made necessary by the prior art and by the spirit of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A hinge comprising a relatively stationary bracket member having an offset portion formed with a ball socket constituting a bearin said socket having a slot therein, a relatively movable member having a ball formed thereon, said ball being mounted in said socket whereby said movable member is adapted to swing on said bracket member, to and from an open position, said movable member having an extension on said ball received in said slot, means for retaining said ball in said socket, and yieldable means on said bracket member adapted to be engaged by said extension as said movable member approaches said open position for chocking the outward swinging movement of said movable member.

2. A hinge according to claim 1 characterized in that said checking means comprises a movable element on said bracket member interposed in the path of movement of said extension, and spring means constantly urging said element into position to be engaged by said extension before said movable member has reached its full outward position.

3. A hinge comprising, in combination, a relatively stationary member adapted to be secured to a door frame, said member being formed with a recessed portion having a ball socket at one end thereof constituting a bearing and said socket being provided with a slot therein, a relatively movable member adapted to be secured to a door, said movable member having a ball formed integrally thereon and an extension on said ball, said ball being mounted in said socket for swinging movement of said movable member into and out of said recessed portion and for movement of said extension in said slot, a rod movably carried by said bracket member in said recessed portion and adapted to have one end thereof extend out of said recessed portion into the path of movement of said extension, and spring means constantly urging said rod into position in said path to be engaged by said extension before said movable member has reached full outward position for checking the outward swinging movement of said movable member.

MORTON TUCKER. 

